Another Face of Grace

We are surrounded by grace, but usually have trouble recognizing it. While watching a movie the other night I saw a wonderful picture of grace that Hollywood of all places was responsible for. It was a fictional movie, but the message was powerful to me and I appreciated the way it showed what grace in action looks like.

In the movie, Forrest Gump, following another unsuccessful shrimping attempt Lt. Dan said to Forrest maybe he should ask God to tell us where the shrimp are. The next scene is a classic view of grace as Forrest is shown in a southern black church dressed with the choir clapping and singing.  Lt. Dan is sitting in the back of the congregation in his wheelchair laughing at Forrest and drinking hard liquor.  

These two guys didn't look anything like the regular congregation members.  One was kind of slow and the other was more into mocking God than searching for him, yet they still found a place within this congregation, and that is precisely the point grace makes. It's not about what you can bring to God's church, it's about God bringing you into his church even with all of the baggage you are carrying. Inside his people is where God's grace works powerfully, but we have to open the doors to them.

What can a slow witted person like Forrest offer a congregation? Nothing except himself, I may be out of place here, but I will put on the choir robe and sing and clap, because I am searching for God.  In God's people, those like Forrest find open arms and acceptance, because it is about God and not about us.

Lt. Dan had no compelling reason to go with Forrest so why did he go?  I believe he was searching as well, but he was searching on his terms and he'd bring what I want to bring with me in the search. Yet, clearly the director tried to show that even with a bottle of liquor and a mocking attitude this particular church still had an open door for Lt. Dan.

What a great presentation of grace.  Now contrast this picture to the one Tony Perkins presented in his statement about not inviting just anyone to his church? And contrast it also to the picture the pastor painted in the same meeting when he shouted if you don't like what we say you can get out!  Those are not the words of grace.  As Philip Yancey likes to say, grace like water flows down to the deepest depths and can reach anyone.  That's the picture Hollywood painted in this moving scene. Shouldn't we try to paint the same kind of picture ourselves? Transform me my God.